The present invention comprises a new Osteospermum, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘OSTZ0003’.
‘OSTZ0003’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘OSTZ0003’ has yellow colored inflorescences held nicely above the foliage, medium-green foliage, with early flowering and an excellent branched and compact bushy habit.
‘OSTZ0003’ originates from an open-pollinated hybridization made in August 2007 in greenhouse in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as ‘98-10’ with bronze-yellow color, with a later flowering habit and fewer branches when compared to ‘OSTZ0003’.
The male parent of ‘OSTZ0003’ is unknown. The resultant seed was sown in March 2008. ‘OSTZ0003’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in August 2008 in a greenhouse in Andijk, The Netherlands.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘OSTZ0003’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in August 2008 in a greenhouse in Andijk, The Netherlands.